Secretary General Of Guterres Urges Russia To Obey UN Charter, Brutality Against Ukraine Must Be Accounted For

JAKARTA - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, highlighted the global impact of the conflict in Ukraine and urged Russia to comply with the UN Charter.

"Two years have passed - and a decade since Russia's attempts to illegally annex the Crimean Autonomy Republic in Ukraine and the city of Sevastopol - the war in Ukraine is still an open wound to the heart of Europe," Guterres told the Security Council in a session. as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, February 24.

"This is the right time for peace based on the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolution," he added.

"In any war, everyone suffers. But the Ukrainian people are suffering greatly from the war that Russia has fought against them," Guterres said, recalling more than 10,000 civilians, men, women and children were killed.

Damage and destruction of hospitals, schools, health facilities and civil infrastructure "are frequent and getting more intensive", he said.

"The PBB has documented widespread and troubling brutality. The Independent International Research Commission for Ukraine reports that civilians and detainees are being tortured, and more than two hundred cases of sexual violence, mostly carried out by Russian Federation forces.

"All perpetrators must be held accountable," said the UN Secretary General.

Many Ukrainians have had "bad dreams of losing their children," Guterres said.

He also said nearly four million Ukrainians were internally displaced, and more than 14.5 million people in the country needed humanitarian assistance.

"This war is also detrimental to the Russian people. Thousands of Russian youths were killed on the front lines. Civilians affected by attacks in Russian cities are also suffering. The danger of conflict is increasing and widespread," he stressed.

Guterres stressed the war deepened geopolitical divisions, exacerbated regional instability, and reduced the available space to address other pressing global issues.

"In addition, the possibility of a war that resulted in a nuclear accident has frightened the world. Both parties in conflict must take all measures that might prevent this from happening - in all nuclear locations across the country," he added.

The United Nations will also continue to push for freedom and safety of navigation in the Black Sea and the much-needed food and fertilizers of Ukraine and Russia, to reach the global market, he said.